Carers Week is a national annual campaign that aims to raise awareness of caring, highlight the challenges unpaid carers face and recognise the contribution they make to families and communities.
Wendy Buckley, Interim CEO at Dementia Jersey comments: “Our aim during Carers Week is to celebrate carers who support people with dementia and highlight the incredible difference they make to so many lives in our community.
“Many people we see at Dementia Jersey are unpaid carers, caring for a family member and therefore, often don’t necessarily see themselves as carers. It is a route their life has taken, as opposed to being a paid carer, in a job they have chosen. Because of this, it can take them a while to realise there is support out there for them. We hope that by marking this week, we reach as many people as possible to ensure that more people caring for someone with dementia know that they are not alone and that there is support available for them.”
Kate Le Maitre, carer in Jersey, comments: “After my husband’s diagnosis, our lives took a very different path to what we had planned and unexpectedly, our thoughts were of a terminal illness and how to manage it. I had little knowledge or experience of dementia at the time and experienced a range of emotions, at times challenging but also very rewarding. Observing my intelligent husband fail to find the right word and then retreat into himself was heart breaking. I knew I had to learn how to support him to give us the best quality of life possible.
“It is easy to forget one’s own needs when caring full time for such a vulnerable person and that certainly impacted on my own health. While everyone’s situation is different and every journey unique, I would always recommend reaching out to Dementia Jersey. Through their excellent activities, meetings and carers groups, I felt incredibly supported and I am hugely thankful to this wonderful charity.”
Dementia Jersey kicked off Carers Week with a special carers event, focusing on wellbeing, with non-alcoholic wine-tasting session from Clarity Wines, followed by a “Keep Calm and Tap it Better’ workshop hosted by Yolanda from Tap it Better. Giving carers some well-deserved respite, whilst having the opportunity to connect with other carers.
On Wednesday 7th June, the Dementia Advisors will be based at Holme Grown from 11:00 – 15:00, and are encouraging anyone who is caring for someone with dementia to drop in and find out more about the support available.
Dementia Jersey currently supports 193 carers in Jersey. The charity offers 1:1 support sessions at their office in St Helier, and home visits can be arranged. The charity also has weekly group carers support meetings at various locations across the island including, Radisson Hotel, Holme Grown and Communicare, St Brelade.
For more information about the support available to those caring for someone with dementia, or if you would like to find out more about Dementia Jersey and their services, visit here or call 01534 723519
